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The Umuawulu community in Awka-South Local Government Area of Anambra state has given notice of its intention to assemble over 2,000 people and stage an occupation of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) office in Awka if the company does not act to restore power to the community within two weeks.
The threat was contained in a protest letter titled “Protest Against Continued Breach of NERC Decision on Restoration of Light to Health Centre Substation Transformer, Umuawulu”
Signed by Chairman Comrade Osita Obi, Secretary Cyril C. Eziofor, and Legal Adviser Bar. Tony Anazor, the protest letter was distributed to the Anambra State Commissioner of Police and the Director of the Department of State Security (DSS).
The community pointed fingers at EEDC, alleging that the company had breached their contract and disregarded the directive from the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) concerning the restoration of power.
Read also: EEDC Points To Labour Strike As Cause Of Imo Blackout
As indicated in the statement, the EEDC has continuously failed to comply with the directives set forth by the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) pertaining to metering and the restoration of electricity upon settling outstanding bills.
According to the letter, Electricity consumers in Umuawulu take exception to the continued disregard of the directives of Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission,(NERC) for metering and restoration of light to the transformer after clearing outstanding bills ,is deliberatelyl floutedby the staff of Awka Office of EEDC.’
The statement went on to explain that consumers of the Health Center Substation Transformer in Umuawulu successfully cleared their outstanding bills totaling N7,204,000, dating back to December 30, 2022. These consumers have been officially recorded in the EEDC DATABASE, given account numbers, issued Demand Notices, and a significant number have already made payments for prepaid meters
It was expressed in the statement that it is unfortunate that only a small number of meters have been installed, while the transformer remains without power.
The statement added, ‘To make the situation more hopeless, many consumers cannot pay for their meterse because the REMITA PAYMENT REFERENCE was deactivated without directives on how else to make payments.’
‘It is unfortunate that this transformer which serves Umuawulu Primary Healthcare Center the only health institution in Umuawulu community hase been in darkness since three years ago. AIl efforts to get officials of your organizationt at Awka to do the needful have proved abortive as they are unwilling to cooperate with the sate.’
‘We therefore demand that you take immediate steps to the following; Restore light to the Health Center Substation Transformer Umuawulu without further delay. Complete the installation of Prepaid Meters already duly paid for and Immediately reactivate/revalidate those Demand Notice which REMITA PAYMENT REEFERENCES have been deliberately deactivated, to enable those concerned pay form meters.’
‘Take note that if after two weeks from today nothing is done in this regard, we shall have no other option than to mobilize over 2000 electricity consumers to occupy EEDC Office until we receive justice,’ it stated.
